The Third Bronx Biennale of Latin American Art 2012 announces Call for Works

We would like to extend an invitation for a collective exhibition with the participation of artists from Hispanic descent or those with a defined cultural link. It will take place between September 14 and November 30, 2012. The Bronx Biennale of Latin American Art, sponsored by the Bronx Hispanic Festival (Festival Hispano del Bronx Inc.) gives way to an event designed to foster the creative work as an effort to establish art as a common language in several locations within the Bronx. The Bronx Biennale of Latin American Art in New York is organizing its next edition, understanding the responsibility involved in this cultural event. The Bronx Hispanic Festival in its role of sponsor has an intention to participate at the same time in other international events, such as the biennales in Sao Paulo and La Habana, and in the San Juan Poly/Graphic Triennial, Trienal Del Caribe in Santo Domingo These events that have their roots in the artistic activity of Latin America maintain their regenerating essence.

Welcome all to the III Bronx Biennial of Latin American Art. Once again we summon the workers of culture, with the purpose of fostering reflection regarding the dialectical nature of art. We’ve chosen the theme “Illusory Correlation” as regular behavior and decodifying agent between two possible variables. Both represent a human operation in the exercise of association, whose linguistic principles bear a content that corresponds to the social identity. From this dilemma, several axioms emerge in which the art is a protagonist in the construction of the worldview (Weltanschauung), which also includes the general perception or cognition and the act of collective conscience.

The fundamental processes as an active influence method, that tries to guide people into adopting new needs and ideas, or aim to a parallel behavior through rational or emotional measures; being the stimulus that takes shape characterizing itself as a medium/message in an act of dynamic convention, that places itself in time and space, manifesting the technical/mechanical capacity of the artistic being. If we place ourselves in the contemporary era of informational electronic power, the global subconscious is conceived as a space in the no-space where the ideology of the dominant production models is perpetuated, like T. Adorno would say, even though it’s not the only ideology that looks for preeminence. Consequently, the advance of the valorization and mercantillization of cultures establishes the particular necessity of an inductive creative artisanal elaboration, destined to the configuration of the great window to the world. What we believe to see that doesn’t exist, and what does exist but we can’t see.

The current interpreted perception is the illusory correlation instituted under a global practical order that enslaves. In contrast, the ideological compromise of several groups of creators is found in the reductionist resistance to the idea, the urgent possibility of a sustainable and natural balance. In all social sectors, the denial of the great window as an interpretation claims the cognitive degree of the concept, the promise to effect changes in the general behavior. For the creative sector it means the constant lookout for a language that is able to materialize a parallel worldview, and which incites recognition of the hidden threads of the pattern and picture of appearances. Art, and non-art as well, participate in its new fast capacity space (that entails a huge abysmal vertigo), self-assessing the current development, throughout the establishment of the pragmatic association with defined liberating purposes, in relation to the work and manufacture of the message/media. Let us declare the autonomy in the interpretation of the world, the cosmovision observed through the prism in which the dimensions of the spectrum are radiantly multiplied and diversified. Let each beam express its individual color, but let it merge, in its entirety and purpose, with the concrete and universal image, as an event that is engraved in the collective memory.

We invite you today, to decipher the vivential experience in a referential way within a creative project; let us be part of a multicultural encounter of permanent, solidary and firm dialogue The intention of the event organizer is to set up an art exhibition within an international framework and objectively maintain decentralization of the exhibition spaces that play an important role in terms of the idea of accessible art. We have chosen the traditional vehicle of the Biennale and have packed it with the culture that seeks fusion in syncretism, a fusion that is applied to the creation of new languages.

The Bronx Latin American Art Biennale creates alternative spaces for the evolution of developing communities. It is our intent to foster Latin American art by leaving an irrefutable testimony of its amazing diversity; we establish the dynamic interrelation art/artist/society illustrated in a living model. The Bronx Latin American Art Biennale concentrates on the theory of communication as human Exchange that entails the creative art and tries to conjugate the global space with the less visible sources of Latin American art. We are determined to turn the event, and our county, into the central point for cultural work at a transnational level.

The county of the Bronx is a dwelling of many ethnic groups, the resonance of its cultural values, goes to the compass with the diversity that characterizes the city of New York. The Biennial of Latin-American Art complies with the revitalizing function that characterizes the social groups in the regeneration of its custom and values. This event aspires to reunite a variety of media including photograph, sculpture, electro-digital, painting (includes graffiti on wall), video, graphic, mixed media, performance, installations, and others.

Curators

-ALEXIS MENDOZA: (Cuba) Artist, Writer and Curator, National School of Fine Art San Alejandro (1988), graduated in Art History from Havana University (1994), Member of the Bronx Hispanic Board, Co-founder of the Bronx Latin-American Art Biennial. Alexis Mendoza exhibited his artworks in museums and galleries around the world in countries such as: Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, France, Germany, Mexico, Netherlands, Romania, Spain, Switzerland, and United State. Alexis Mendoza is also an Author of books, “Latin America, The Culture and the New Men”, “Objective Reference of Painting: The work of Ismael Checo, 1986-2006”, and REFLECTION: The Sensationalism of the Art from Cuba.

-LUIS STEPHENBERG: (Puerto Rico) Artist and Curator, with more than 30 years working in favor of the arts, graduated from Puerto Rico School of Visual Arts and a Master Degree from the Institute of San Miguel Allende, Mexico. Luis Stephenberg, has dedicated his career to studying the concept of what is art. In the late 70’s Luis Stephenberg is co-founder of the Synthesis Movement Update (Movimiento Sintesista Actualizado). He is also co-founder of the Bronx Hispanic Festival. His artworks are part of an important collection in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Peru, and United State.

1. Open to all Latin American artists residing in any part of the world, 18 years or older. The artworks must be completed in the last 2 years. Open for all fine arts categories including video, performance, etc. The artworks must be original artworks by the artist present it.

2. The artists can submit 5 artworks only 2 will be select.

3. The dimensions of the artworks are free. All artworks must be ready to be hung, framed and/or with instruction if need it.

3. The artists are responsible for the shipments of the artworks to and from the Biennial, for any insurance, etc. The Bronx Biennial of Latin American Art, 2012, will not be responsible for any damage to the artworks during the transportation or during the term of the Biennial. But the organizers of the Biennial will commit to a high level of security and handle the artwork with professionalism that this event ask for.

4.The artworks are not to be return before the Biennial ends

CONDITIONS

1. The Organization Committee have the right to photograph, reproduce images of the artworks in the Biennial for promotional, educational, websides catalog and invitations purpose during the time of the Biennial.

2. Artworks are allow to be for sale at the artist choice.

3. If any artworks if not claimed in ONE year period the Organization Committee will take ownership of the artwork.

4. The artists can’t remove the artworks from the Biennial before its end.

CALENDAR

July, 26 2012, Last date to respond.

August, 20 2012, All works should ready

September, 14 2012, Open inauguration of the III Bronx Latin American Biennial

Holly Bynoe is a curator, visual artist and writer based in the Caribbean. She is the Executive Director of ARC Magazine, and a graduate of Bard College International Center of Photography (2010) where she earned her M.F.A. in Advanced Photographic Studies. She currently holds the position of Chief Curator at the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas, and is co-director of the annual arts conference Tilting Axis and Caribbean Linked Residency Program.